Cigarette holder



Oct. 8, 1940. J; LYKOS ET AL 2,216,920

CIGARETTE HOLDER Filed May 10/ 1939 6 waif/14% &

I Patented Oct. 8, 1940 PATENT, OFFICE CIGARETTE HOLDER John Lykos,

Stockdale, and Oliver H. Beaumont, North Belle Vernon, Pa.

Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,790 1 Claim. (Cl. 131-182 Our invention relates to cigarette holders, particularly to cigarette holders including a perforate cage that encloses the cigarette being consumed, and prevents the falling of sparks and ashes. More particularly, the invention relates to structural refinementsof the holders illustrated and described in our Letters Patent of the United States, No. 2,113,734, dated April 12, 1938; No. 2,120,705, dated June 14, 1938, and No.

In 2,173,211, dated September 19', 1939.

In the accompanying drawing a cigarette holder embodying the invention isillustrated. Fig. I is a view ofthe holder in side elevation; Fig. II

I is a fragmentaryview of the holder to larger scale, and partly in side elevation-and partly in axial section; Fig. III is a fragmentary view of the holder, as seen in elevation from above Fig. II; Fig. IV is a view in elevation of the seat element of the holder, on the scale of Figs. II and III; and Fig, V is a view of the holder on the same scale and in cross section on the plane V-V of Fig. II. I

Referring to the drawing, the cigarette holder consists in a tubular stem I assembled in axial alignment with a cageZ. The cage 2 is formed of two semicylindrical shells 3 and 4, including helical slots 8 covered from within with linemesh Wire screen 5. In this case the stem I is formed of molded Bakelite or the like, and the 3 shells 3 and l of pressed or molded metal, such as steel or aluminum, while the screen 5 is a copper screen, meshes to the inch, applied to the inner faces of the shells. The two shells 3 and l in assembly meet edge-to-edge in a dia-' 35 metrical plane; they are hinged, as at 6, for

angular movement about their meeting edges on one side, while the opposite meeting edges are provided with a catch or fastener, as shown in our above-noted patents. A tubular portion 9 is integrally formed with the inner end of the shell 3, and the assembly of the cage 2 with the stem I is effected by the snug engagement of the portion 9 with the body of the stem I.

Within the assembled structure a tubular seat I l is provided, to receive in snug engagement one, end of the cigarette to be smoked. In order to insert the cigarette, the cage shells 3 and 4 are swung into open position. Then, the cigarette is introduced, and inserted at one end in the seat I l, and the cage shells are reclos'ed. As shown in Fig. I, the cage shell I carries integrally at its outer end a hemispherical end wall l2, and thus, when the shell sections 3 and 4 of the cage are shut, the cigarette is entirely enclosed within a screen-lined perforate housing. Manifestly,

air may readily enter through the screen-covered I slots 8 for the combustion of the cigarette.

The seat II for the end of the cigarette to be smoked consists in a tubular member, in this case a funnel-shaped member of metal, whose wall on one side is continued outward from the 'funnel in a tongue I8. Tongue I8 assists in guiding the endo-f the cigarette, introduced to the open cage and moved axially inward, to proper position in the seat. The seat II is secured, at the neckof thefunnel, in the stem l.

Inservice the cigarette-enclosing cage 2 becomes hot, and in the usual holder structures heat flows from the cage to the body of the stem I. In consequence of such heat flow, the stem becomes hot, heating the smok'e'which is drawn through the stem into the smokers mouth. As the users of tobacco are aware, this is an objectionable circumstance. Our present invention is concerned with the elimination or minimization of such heat flow, and the invention consists in structural refinements that are effective to the ends in View, without increasing the manufacturing costs of the holder; and with no diminution in the facility with which the component parts of the holder may be taken apart for cleaning and reassembled. f

As shownin Fig. ILthe bore la of the stem is enlarged at the cigarette-receiving end thereof, and within this enlarged end the body of the stem includes an annular sleeve-like portion Ill that is spaced from the encompassing wall portion lb of the stem body. That is to say, the outer end of the stern includes two tubular portions lb and H], the portion l0 being smaller in diameter than, and arranged within the compass of, the tubular portion lb, with a circumferential clearance lc beween. The tubular body portion 9 of the cage is frictionally secured within the outer tubular portion lb of the stem, and, advantageously, the inner face of such stem portion lb is provided with longitudinal ribs Id (Fig. V) that localize the physical contact between the cage and the stem, andin manifest way inhibit or minimize the flow of heat from the cage (heated in service by the'burning cigarette) to the body of the holder. It will also be noted that the wall of the cage portion 9 is of less thickness than the clearance Ic between the tubular portion lb and ID of stem, so that there is no substantial contact between the inner surface of the tubular cage portion 9 and the body of the stem. Thus, the flow of heat from the cage to the stem is minimized. Additionally, it will be noted that in service air will circulate in the clearance lo and operate with heat-dissipating fiect.

The tubular member II that forms the cigarette seat of the holder is snugly engaged in the inner tubular portion ID of the stem, as shown, and, as so organized, the seat is encompassed by, but effectively insulated from, the heat-transmitting portion 9 of the cage. It will be perceived that the bore la of the stem is not the usual bore of small diameter found in smoking devices of this sort; it is a bore of as large diameter as may berequired wall thickness or strength of the stem being the only limiting fac-' tor-save at the bit end of the stem, where the bore at le, reduced to usual small diameter. Indeed, in this case the smoke-conducting bore, throughout a substantial portion of the length of the stem, is as large in diameter as'the cigarette seat II. A large bore of this kind augments the transfer of heat from the smoke and gases drawn through the stem, and cooperates with the heat-floW-inhibiting feature above described, with the result that the products of the burning cigarette reach the mouth of the smoker at a lower, more pleasant temperature.

The cigarette holder may be provided with the cage-opening device described in our said letters Patent No. 2,173,211. Briefly, such device consists in a trigger 20 of lever-like form, mounted in a slot 2| in the portion 9 of the cage portion 3. The trigger is pivoted intermediate its opposite ends, on a pin 23, to the portion 9. The lefthand end of the trigger, as viewed in Fig. II of the drawing, is provided with an extending latch portion; this latch portion, 24, is offset from the end of the trigger body in such manner that, when the cage is closed for' service, the latch portion lies immediately within and bears against the wall of the cage section 4. The trigger, accessible through a thumb notch 25 in the Wall portion lb of the stem, is movable under applied pressure. That is to say, under pressure applied to the body portion of the trigger on the righthand side of its axis (of. the arrow in Fig. II), the trigger swingsclockwise, from full-line to dotted line position. And in the course of such movement the cage section 4 is,'by virtue of the engagement of latch portion 24 therewith, swung onthe hinges 6 (Fig. I) into open position.

The right-hand end 26 of the trigger, always positioned within the tubular wall of cage portion 9, as shown in full lines in Fig. II, provides an ejector for the butt of the cigarette smoked in the holder. When the trigger is swung clockwise into cage-opening position, the end 26 of the trigger, swinging inward towards the longitudinal axis of the holder, takes purchase on the butt of the cigarette in the seat ll. After the cage has been opened, the outer tip (24) of the trigger is pressed and the clockwise movement of the trigger continued beyond the position in which it is shown in dotted lines, with the consequence and effect that the inner end 26 of the trigger dislodges and sweeps the cigarette butt from the seat ll. Before a new cigarette is introduced to the holder, the trigger is restored to its normal (full-line) position.

It will be understood that within the terms of the appended claim various modifications of the structure described are permissible.

We claim:

In, a cigarette holder consisting of an integrally molded stem including at one end two tubular portions, one arranged concentrically within the other with a heat-dissipating space between, an independently formed tubular seat secured in the inner tubular portion of the stem, and a perforate cage extending outwardly from the stem to enclose a cigarette inserted at one end in said seat, said cage carrying a sleeve portion positioned in the outer of said tubular portions of the stem and serving to secure the cage to the stem, and a butt ejector carried by such sleeve portion; the outer. tubular portion of said stem extending axially beyond the end of said inner tubular portion of the stem and the wall of such outer tubular portion including a notch exposing said butt ejector in the assembled structure to the fingers of the user, and said cigarette seat including a flared portion extending outwardly from the end of said inner tubular portion of the stem and housed within the outer tubular portion of the stem.

= JOHN LYKOS.

OLIVER H. BEAUMONT 

